- Average user rating: 2.5 stars out of 5 reviews Back to product review
- My rating: 0 stars
Full user review
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2.5 stars
"I really wanted to like this camcorder..."
Pros: Small size, good battery life, many features/special effects
Cons: Poor quality video, inaccurate color representation
Summary: We were given a Sony Hi8 camcorder for my wife's baby shower, but I ended up returning it to Best Buy because I had read that MiniDV was a higher quality format. Because the Sony camcorder we received came from Best Buy and we also had a gift card, our choices were pretty much limited to the selection that Best Buy had to offer. We were looking for a small, easy-to-use camcorder and I wanted at least a few cool features to spice up videos of our daughter. I am not a professional videographer, mind you, but I think that I am a step above the average Joe. We went with the ZR200 initially because the price was good and as far as I could tell, the quality of the video was OK, under Best Buy's well-lit showroom. I actually did research on Cnet about the ZR200 before we opened it and we returned it in favor of the ZR100 because we didn't need the digital camera feature or the remote, so we figured we'd save $50. But after using the ZR100 for a few months, the overall quality of the video is pixely, blocky, and the colors are too saturated. I realize the camera has an issue with low-light performance, but I filmed a lot of footage in out family room, which has very bright, recessed halogen lighting and the video is grainy, poor and low quality. I filmed a friend's wedding and turned off some features like image stabilization (this degrades video quality slightly) and used a tripod, but the quality didn't improve. All the special effects and the ease with which I can import the footage into my computer via FireWire is great. And the camera is small, it is easy to use. But when the quality of the overall video is of VHS quality, it is not worth it. I ended up doing more research and bought a used Panasonic PV-GS65 on eBay FOR THE SAME PRICE. The difference in quality is ASTOUNDING. Take it from me, DO NOT SKIMP on video quality to save a few bucks. There are plenty of low-budget camcorders out there that take excellent quality footage. But do your research first.
Where to buy
ZR100 Digital Camcorder:
$399.90
| store | price | in stock? | rating |
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Amazon.com Marketplace
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$399.90 | Yes |
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